


A Game of Six Hoops

by Imtrouble



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-08 03:51:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14096610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imtrouble/pseuds/Imtrouble
Summary: A Quidditch charity match is set on Halloween, with players from all over the British league on a male team against a female. Players who are usually on rivaling teams in the league have to cooperate (and also, fight against their regular team mates), and both sides play dirty to win.





	1. Chapter 1

"Please Hermione, we really need your help."

Hermione looked at the face of her best girl friend and the mirroring faces of said friend’s teammates. 

"Ginny, I cannot help you cheat to win a charity match! It's not ethical."

"It's not cheating Hermione, it’s distracting, nothing more, unless you want more." She smirked.

"I don't like what you're implying Ginny Weasley and what about Oliver, hmm? Talk about rubbing his face in it."

"Even better it will distract both of them."

Hermione looked round the corridor they were all stood in. Ginny had ambushed her at work and brought the whole team along for the ride.

"Look can we have a word in private?" Without waiting for the redhead to answer, Hermione gripped her by the arm and pulled her away from the other women who were getting to know far to much about Hermione's private life for her liking.

"Look, you and Oliver split up over a year ago, he's dated like seven other women since you. Why on earth would you think flirting with someone else would bother him?"

"I just think it’s unnecessary. Anyway I've just started seeing..."

"An older man, yes I know Hermione, but since we haven't met him yet and he sounds like a total bore from what you have told us, I'm inclined to believe that the offer of another hot young Quidditch player could be just what you need."

Pulling her further down the corridor so that she was sure no one else could hear her, she hissed at Ginny. "The offer? You make it sound like you have him wrapped up as a present for me to open."

"If that’s what you want Hermione I'm sure he'd agree, you know he has had the hots for you for like forever. Turns out that confunding him to lose a position on the team is what draws them in. Who knew? I should have tried that with Adrian years ago!"

"Adrian? As in Pucey? You don't like him do you?" 

"He's hot Hermione, who wouldn't like him?"

"He's your teammate. Surely that’s a conflict of interest or something?"

"He's normally my teammate, yes, but not for the next two weeks he's not."

"Ginny you are unbelievable."

"I'll take that as a compliment!"

"It wasn't meant as one."

"I'm ignoring you, now will you help us?"

"But why does it have to be him?"

"Get over it, Hermione, Cormac McLaggen is hot, you could do much worse. Actually, who am I kidding, you have!"

"Do you want my help or not?" 

"I knew you'd come round." Ginny pushed herself off of the wall she had been leaning against and headed back towards the rest of the team who were now all talking amongst themselves, she knew Hermione would agree in the end. She was good at persuading people.

"If only to beat the smug look off of Ron's face when he's beaten by a bunch of girls. He hasn't stopped twittering on about it since the Ministry announced it."

"Seriously, Hermione, what on earth possessed you to move in with my brother?"

"Well, it's not like we are together, it was convenient," she sighed. 

"Convenient, but do you ever get any sleep with the skanks he brings home?"

"I perfected sound proofing charms after the first couple of incidents, so yes, it’s fine."

"Come on, let me go and tell the girls the good news! Those morons aren't going to know what hit them!"

\--------------------

Oliver Wood was pacing up and down the locker room. That’s how Adrian Pucey found him when the Chaser entered moments later.

"You'll wear a hole in the floor if you continue, Wood."

"We have to beat the girls, Adrian, we can't let them get the better of us."

"Chill out, they’re a bunch of girls, of course we can beat them." Adrian leaned up against some of the lockers and began fiddling with the combination lock attached to one of them.

"Seriously? Would you say that to Weasley? She'd have your balls on a platter for a comment like that! And you know she's the best Chaser we have."

"True, but not everyone of the girls is like her. She's one of a kind."

Oliver stopped in his tracks. "Oh Merlin no, don't tell me you like her?"

"Mate, she's gorgeous, but that’s it. Who doesn't like a bit of eye candy to watch?"

"Well as long as that’s all it is. I can't deal with a fallout between my two best players."

"Thought I was your best player, Wood?" Came the deep voice of the usual Keeper of the Falmouth Falcons.

"My best player doesn't injure himself a month before the season begins, which puts him out of play for the first half of said season," Oliver grumbled, turning to face the man entering slowly on crutches.

"Ouch, Wood, you've hurt my feelings. On the plus side, it allows you to come out of retirement for this charity match, since you won't become player/coach for the Falcons. Why you'd rather play the reserve beats me."

"Which shows why you are not Team Captain, McLaggen, and I am—"

"Wood," Pucey interrupted, "you are aware you asked Cormac here to captain our charity squad the other night, aren't you?"

"Of course I am; what do you take me for? Cormac is here to be a distraction, or eye candy if you will. "

"What?" Both Adrian and Cormac asked in unison. The latter now taking a seat on the bench, nearly lost his balance and would have fallen to the floor had it not been for his lightning quick reactions. Grabbing onto the bench to steady himself, he repeated himself. "What?"

"If you think these girls are going to roll over and let us win, Pucey, you are sorely mistaken. They will be fighting dirty, Merlin, you know what our players are like usually, their determination will be up tenfold to beat us. Cormac is going to flirt with as many of the team as he can to distract them! Just cos you can't play old boy doesn't mean you're not useful to us."

Cormac stared at him for a moment. "I think you've lost it, Oliver. I'm no playboy, I'm a one girl kind of man."

"You don't actually have to hook up with anyone, McLaggen, you just have to imply you might!"

"On crutches? Dude, are you out of your mind?" He questioned pointing at the two planks of wood he had been using to walk on for the past couple of months. Magic could only do so much he had been told.

"Are you a wizard or a Muggle, Cormac? Surely you can lose the crutches for a couple of weeks? Levitate around if you have to, we're a team and I need everyone playing for us."

"Even Weasley?" Adrian snorted.

"Do I look daft, Pucey? Weasley is reserve keeper. I am not coming out of retirement from consecutive back-to-back championship wins to lose to a bunch of women. You hear me?"

"Eye eye captain." Adrian mock saluted him, smirking back at Cormac who was holding his laughter in now. 

"Now get the team together, we need to practise. The girls won't know what’s hit them."

\--------------------

Shock Announcement from Women’s Quidditch Team ahead of Charity Halloween Match.  
Alicia Spinnet has stepped down from the Captaincy role due to a family bereavement. Taking her place as Captain for the Women's team is none other than War Heroine, Hermione Granger. Well known for her dislike of flying, this is a surprising appointment. She had this to say when questioned by Sports Reporter Blaise Zabini;

"Obviously this is a charity event and not a full time job. I wanted to get involved to help raise money for St. Mungo's Sports Rehabilitation ward and when approached by Ginny Weasley to fill the position, I of course said yes. I will mainly be promoting the event and coordinating the team. I obviously will not be getting involved in any game tactics and plans, after all the women want to win."

"Granger as their bloody team captain? What on earth are they playing at?" Adrian asked out loud a couple of days later, once again in the locker room at the men's designated training ground. 

"What?" Cormac shouted across from the office where he was drawing up potential plays on a whiteboard.

"The girls’ team have announced that Hermione Granger is to be their Team Captain or Manager if you will," Adrian half shouted as he made his way towards the office.

"What? She doesn't even play Quidditch."

"I know, I wonder if they thought it might mess Oliver up."

"Why would he care? They split up ages ago."

"You would know,” Adrian paused for a second, “hey Cormac?"

"What?"

"You're obsessed with her, I see the little green haze that takes over you when you see her in the stands watching the Weasel."

"I don't know what you mean," the blonde replied turning back to face the whiteboard.

"Course you don't, McLaggen." Adrian smirked. "If I was you I'd keep quiet about that crush you have on her! Wouldn't want Oliver to get wind of you fancying his ex or screwing up his plans for flirting with most of the girls!"

"You know I don't want to do that anyway, Merlin, isn't there enough guys on this team? Wood's lost his mind." Exasperatedly turning round and throwing the whiteboard pen on the desk.

"He usually does when it comes to Quidditch. He's only mildly less competitive when he's just coaching."

"I've never seen him like this before."

"That's because you haven't played with him, this is just the beginning mate. You think because this is a charity or fun event that he's going to be calm? He'll be more competitive over this than anything else!"

"Oh good. I can't wait. Right, I need to go and see the Medi-Witch, see if I can get off these crutches anytime soon."

Adrian laughed. "Hope for your sake mate, that you can. Who's your Medi-witch?"

"Hermione Granger."

Cormac could hear Adrian's laughter all the way down the corridor as he shuffled his way out.

\----------------

"GINNY, YOU TOLD THE PRESS THAT SOMEONE IN ALICIA'S FAMILY DIED?!"

Ginny knew there was no point in hiding, Hermione knew she would be here at the women's training ground.

She rounded the corner and found Hermione walking through the locker room towards the office. 

"It wasn't a lie, Hermione."

"It was an owl Ginny, the family owl died."

"Look, it worked in our favour, Alicia needed an excuse to get away anyway."

"What, why?" Hermione pulled out the chair opposite Ginny's desk and plonked herself in it, her anger forgotten. 

"You didn't hear this from me, but she's getting married."

"To George?"

"Of course to George! She's been dating my brother since Hogwarts, who else would she be marrying?"

"But your mother..."

"Doesn't know, and isn't to be told, Hermione. George doesn't want a big fuss, he decided since Fred won't be there, he wants to just do it with him and Alicia there on Halloween of course, his and Fred's favourite time of year."

"Wow. Well of course I won't say anything, but your mum is going to blow her top."

"I know, I'm hoping to be on international duty when she finds out. So in actuality you've helped Alicia out."

"Godric, this all got complicated."

"Not at all, I thought you're statement to the Prophet was fine! At the end of the day, you work in the ward that the money is being raised for. It totally makes sense for someone from there to be involved. Why not you? Star Medi-Witch to the players?"

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Ginerva Weasley. You could rival Malfoy sometimes."

"I'll take that as a compliment!"

"It wasn't meant as one."

"Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Oh god, yes, I have an appointment with McLaggen," she exclaimed, standing up and turning to leave the office in a rush.

"Oh really?"

"Oh, shut up."

"Get your game face on, Hermione," she called to her best friend’s retreating back.

"Game on!"

\-------------------

Cormac sat in the waiting area of St. Mungo's waiting to be called in for his appointment. Months ago he had been knocked off his broom by Zacharias Smith during a friendly game and hit by two bludgers, one to his leg and one to his hip. The healers had repaired his smashed leg with no problems and they had repaired his hip too, but told him that there could still be some weakness there, he had been given the crutches and told to come to weekly rehab sessions with a healer. 

It had been discovered over the years that magically fixing bones was fine, but in years to come, people had found that those healed bones caused them problems later on in life.

Of course Hermione Granger has been the first rehabilitation Medi-witch to graduate with honours and was spoken very highly of by her peers at the hospital. 

She worked with all the league teams when players were injured.

Cormac hadn't missed the irony of the situation. Every time he visited her and felt her small soft hands on his skin, he had to think of every horrid thing he could possibly conjure to his imagination to avoid embarrassing himself in front of her. 

The more time he spent with her the harder this became. He had changed a lot since his youth, gone was the arrogant, self-assured boy, and he liked to think a much nicer version of himself had replaced him. Her Confundus charm had been the start of the change in him.

He had joined the Falmouth Falcons to replace Wood as their first keeper, at the same time as Gwenog Jones left the Holyhead Harpies. Oliver had been offered the Captaincy role and he had been determined to keep the Falcons at the top of the league tables.

He had finished his second season for the team and for the last two seasons they had been unbeatable. With Ginny Weasley, Adrian Pucey and Aoife O'Hare, the daughter of the former Captain of the Irish National Quidditch team, making up the teams chasers, Jean-Baptiste Bloncourt and Gwenog were the squad’s beaters and rounding off the team was Tina Lundstrom as their seeker.

It wasn't long after he had joined the squad that Cormac had begun to overhear rumours about the state of Oliver Wood's relationship with Hermione Granger. He had been living in Bulgaria for the last few years playing for one of their teams and so he had no clue that she hadn't married Ron Weasley, which everyone had predicted. Turned out they hadn't even dated in the end.

At the time he had a serious girlfriend so hadn't thought anymore of it, well that was until he saw her again.

He had been in the showers after a particularly hard match, they had just scraped through a win, seemed like the entire team had had an off day and he found himself staying longer under the spray of the shower than usual.

Just as he tuned it off, he had heard a woman's voice shouting. Intrigued, he grabbed a towel, wrapped it round his waist and snuck out. As he walked down the corridor the voices became louder, Oliver's voice he recognised was shouting now as well, although his thick Scottish brogue was making it somewhat harder to understand what exactly the other man was saying.

"I RETIRED FOR YOU, SO WE COULD SETTLE DOWN AND MAKE A LIFE TOGETHER!"

"YOU DID NO SUCH THING, OLIVER BRAEDAN WOOD! YOU RETIRED FOR YOURSELF, YOU WANTED TO GO OUT ON A HIGH AND NOT LOSE YOUR GAME!" The woman's voice yelled back at him.

Cormac was now stood right round the corner, water still dripping from his soaked body. He turned and slowly looked around the corner.

There stood Oliver in his office, his face turned away from him, facing the woman who was shouting at him. 

He moved slightly so he could see a clearer view of the woman. Sweet Merlin, it was Hermione Granger. It was at this point he realised he had heard she and Oliver were dating and he had also heard the rumours that things were not great between them.

She was taller than he remembered; he reckoned she was only half a head shorter than him now. Her brown hair fell in shiny smooth curls and the robes she wore were cut to perfection, moulding to her curves in all the right places. She was stunning.

He watched Oliver turn away from Hermione and he shrunk back so he wouldn't be spotted. 

"Look, Hermione, this isn't working anymore."

"What?"

"You heard me, I don't think we are a very good fit anymore. We want different things."

"You're a liar, Oliver Wood, you don't want a wife and kids right now, you want a dolly bird on your arm."

"So what if I do? You're no angel, my love, you don't want to be tied down, you want an independent life with someone who will wait for you to achieve everything you want before you put them first."

"I'm not sure what you actually want though, Oliver. It's not commitment, like you keep spouting to everyone."

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT, BUT IT’S NOT THIS!"

"There it is. The truth at last."

Cormac suddenly realised he could hear the clack of her heels against the stone floor of the locker room. He quickly realised she was heading straight for him.

He ran as quickly as his towel and wet feet would allow him and managed to dive back into the showers before she spotted him. Leaving it a few moments before he exited them again as if he was just leaving, he thanked Merlin when he saw her walking towards him down the corridor. 

As she got closer, he couldn't see any tears on her face, but she still looked angry. He smiled as she walked past, her eyes glancing at his naked chest before landing on his face. He didn't miss the double take and surprise that crossed briefly over her face, but he just carried on walking back to his locker, resisting the urge to look back over his shoulder at her departing derriere. 

Over a year later and he was no closer to her, but definitely more interested than ever before.

"Cormac McLaggen?"

Her voice broke through his reverie and he looked up to see her looking flustered and flushed. How he wished he could be the one to leave her like this. Her blush looked particularly pretty today. 

Screw Wood, he was determined to win her over, it was now or never he decided.

"Hey, Hermione." He swore he saw her shiver as he spoke her name.

Maybe, just maybe this time he might win her over, he thought as they walked into her treatment room.

\---------

"He said what?" Ginny shrieked with laughter.

"He actually asked me if I wanted anymore Quidditch players for notches on my bedposts! He still hasn't changed, still a total arse."

Hermione giggled along with Ginny, who now had tears falling down her face.

"I can't believe him. You can't tell me though that you don't find his body impressive, right, Hermione?"

Hermione was thankful they were sat in the crowded pub and that their conversation couldn't be heard by anyone else. She picked up her drink and mumbled a reply before taking a sip.

"What? Was that a yes?" Ginny smirked, wiping her eyes.

"Of course it is, but that’s not the point if his personality sucks."

"Who said anything about dating him? You could just have a one night stand." Ginny smirked, waiting for the shriek that would no doubt follow that statement.

"Not who I am, Ginny, and anyway it doesn't matter I'm seeing..."

"An old man, yes, yes I know. But in all seriousness Cormac is not who he was at school and I'm pretty sure he likes you, my guess is he was trying too hard."

"Well it doesn't matter, I'm not interested in anything with Cormac, he's a patient anyway and I could lose my job."

"Would you like another drink?" Ginny asked offering to take Hermione's empty glass to the bar for a refill. She nodded and passed over her glass to Ginny.

She watched her red headed best friend float across the bar, watching the stares of a few guys become fixated on her.

A shock of blond caught her eye and suddenly the topic of hers and Ginny's conversation was sat opposite her.

"Hermione, hi, look about earlier..."

"It's fine, Cormac, don't worry about it."

"Really? Look, I wanted to ask you properly, will you go on a date with me?"

Hermione was taken aback, talk about being put on the spot. "I... err..."

"One date, if it doesn't work, I won't bother you again, I promise."

"I...well... OK, but on one condition."

"Name it."

"There will be no mention of my bedposts or its notches ever again," she smirked watching the horrified look cross his face.

"I really am sorry about that, I'm not sure what possessed me."

"It's fine, I'm winding you up."

"Deal. I will never mention that again in my lifetime, I promise."

She looked at the smiling man before her, his grin was contagious, and she smiled back at him and that’s how Ginny found them a few minutes later.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Hello, McLaggen. Pucey is looking for you over by the bar, apparently you ditched him?"

"I’m sure he didn't mind, Weasley, if he had you for company."

"I'm not sure what you mean, McLaggen. Now, get out of my seat."

Grinning, he stood up and moved out of Ginny's way. "Sure you don't, Ginny!"

Once Ginny was seated again he turned, smiled at Hermione and spoke in that deep voice of his that did things to Hermione that she didn't ever want to admit.

"I'll owl you, and thank you for today, you don't know how good it is to not be on crutches."

"That spell will only last a couple of weeks Cormac, take it easy, otherwise you'll pay for it when it wears off."

"Yes ma’am," he mock saluted, and with another grin in both girls’ direction, wandered back off to the bar.

"What just happened there?" Ginny asked, her waving her hand in front of Hermione's face.

"Umm... I just agreed to a date with him."

"Interesting! What about Mr Old?"

"Oh god, what have I just done?"

"Finally made a good decision when it comes to your sex life?"

"Ginny! Dear lord I am not discussing that with you and anyway what’s going on between you and Adrian?"

"Nothing,” she answered quickly, too quickly in fact. "Ok, let’s talk about something else."

Now, Hermione knew something was going on.

"Sure, Gin, how about we draw up the practice schedule for the next week?"

\-------------------

Adrian watched Cormac saunter back over to him; he looked like the cat that had caught the mouse. 

"Well, you look way too pleased with yourself, McLaggen."

"I just got myself a date!"

"With who?" The Scottish drawl of his best mate’s voice came from behind him along with a smack on his back.

Adrian saw the flash of horror on Cormac's face and before he could speak, Adrian saved him.

"The first member of the girls’ team."

"Perfect!" Wood shouted. The noise in the bar was picking up and it was getting harder to speak without shouting. "Either of you seen Aoife?"

"Why?" Adrian asked him knowingly, a smirk spreading across his features.

"No reason really, just wanted to ask her about a particular move I saw her pull in practise the other day. I thought I saw her in here with Ralph."

Cormac pointed to the far end of the bar, "I think she was down there a while ago."

"Thanks! Happy hunting, Cormac, one down how many to go?"

Adrian and Cormac watched him leave.

"He's so obvious, it's painful."

"What like you, you mean?" Pucey smirked.

"Thanks for the save."

"Welcome, mate."

"What's going on with you and Weasley?"

"Weasley? Nothing, why?"

"You think I'm oblivious? I've seen the way you two look at each other, you’re blatantly shagging her, mate."

"Ha! I wish I was, she has a fine arse," Adrian laughed, before turning around and catching the barman's attention.

"You're a crap liar, Pucey. I've seen the two of you sneaking off after practice."

"How about I'll keep your secret if you keep mine."

Cormac turned and clinked pint glasses with Pucey. "Deal."


	2. Chapter 2

A week before the big game, Ginny had called a team meeting to discuss match tactics and a few others things she had up her sleeve.

Hermione was sat amongst the players feeling very out of place, but she knew she needed to be here and right now that was ok, it was distracting her from her impending date with Cormac later that night.

She had been cursing herself ever since for agreeing to it in the first place, what could they possibly have in common? She had also told herself that she would never date another Quidditch player again after her failed relationship with Oliver.

She could hardly tar everyone with the same brush, but considering she hated flying, and didn't think of Quidditch as the best thing ever, she felt that it was probably better not to.

She suddenly realised that the room had gone quiet and all faces were turned looking at her. She looked up to Ginny who was smirking.

"Did we lose you to daydreaming about your date tonight?"

"Oh shut up." The girls surrounding her laughed.

"I was just asking everyone to vote on Aoife's idea on whether its a good idea or not, what do you think?"

"I... err... think it sounds like a great idea."

"Looks like a clean sweep for you then, Aoife!" Ginny laughed. "Good luck on your mission, you should be able to get away with it tonight, since their team captain is going to be otherwise engaged!"

Hermione wondered what on earth she had just agreed to; obviously Aoife was up to something that she would normally have frowned upon. Dammit, why did Ginny always get one up on her! She decided then and there she needed to get her own back on her scheming best friend. She just wasn't sure how yet!

She tuned back into listen to Ginny before she got caught out again. Luckily she was finishing off and soon the rest of the team filed out for practise, leaving just Ginny and Hermione alone.

"Look why don't you go home, calm down, get yourself dressed up and just enjoy yourself with Cormac. He seriously is a good guy, Hermione, do you honestly think I'd let you date him if he was a complete and utter tosser?"

A voice caught the two witches off guard. "Thanks for the shining character assessment, Ginny!" The man in question was standing behind them.

"Oh Merlin, what on earth are you doing here?" Ginny asked spinning to face her normal teammate.

"I just came by to drop these off, St Mungo's just sent all the charity match details to us in one envelope. It's all of your passes and start times, etc. Hey, Hermione." 

"H..Hi," she stuttered back like a fool. Merlin, why couldn't the ground just swallow her up now?

He smirked at her before turning back to face Ginny, his hand outstretched with the paperwork he had brought.

"I need to go, I'll see you later," Hermione waved to them both before hurrying off down the hall, she didn't want to hang around and make herself more nervous than she already was.

\------

Cormac turned to watch the pretty witch scurry down the hall.

"Put your tongue away, McLaggen, that’s my best friend you're drooling over there!"

"Do I make a scene when you give Adrian goo-goo eyes, Weasley?"

"I give him no such thing, you jerk," she said, snatching the papers he was still holding from his hands.

"Sorry, not goo-goo eyes, more like come and fuck me eyes."

"Oh shut up!"

"Knew you'd eventually stop denying it. If it makes you feel better, I already got Adrian to own up, so you were fighting a losing battle anyway."

"Well, aren't you just Mr Detective?" She said, turning her back on him and walking towards her office desk.

"Look Gin, the reason I also brought these over is to ask if there is anything I could do or say to impress Hermione. You know how much I like her. I don't want to cock it up again," he said following her desperately.

"Well you know what they say, McLaggen, third time’s the charm and all? Just be your normal self, if you were still the tool you were in school, then I certainly wouldn't class you as a friend, neither would half the team, and let’s not forget no way would Wood have replaced himself with you. Just show Hermione that side of you."

"That’s it?" He fiddled with the buttons on his jacket.

"Well, just find something else to talk to her about other than Quidditch, but I would have expected that would have been obvious."

"Thank you."

She looked at him, he looked nervous, but then as if he felt her inquisitive gaze his face changed and a look of confidence replaced it, she wondered if he was just good at hiding his insecurities or if he genuinely felt better. He turned to leave.

"One more thing, Cormac! She says she's been dating an older man, personally I think its a load of codswallop, but she's not let it drop. However, I don't think for the life of me that if she was seeing anyone else that she would have agreed to a date with you, just try and find out if she's been lying to me would you?"

"I hope she isn't." The worried look was back on his face.

"Like I said, I think she's been lying to me to get me off of her back about dating again and if she actually has, then like I said, Cormac, be yourself, win her over. I truly believe if she sees the real you, she'll be yours. I know Hermione better than she realises sometimes."

She watched him walk out of the locker room, before turning her attention back to the paperwork he had handed over to her. Flicking through the teams passes she found one that she shouldn't have.

Could she keep hold of it? He would never forgive her, or would he after some punishment? She smirked, looking down at the name in her hand.

Adrian Pucey.

\-----------------

Adrian had been working out in the club’s gym when he heard a clatter, it sounded as if it had come from the locker rooms. He had thought he was the only one here, having said goodbye to the rest of the squad earlier that evening. 

Cormac had been heading off for his big date with Granger. He had looked pale ever since he had returned from visiting the girls’ training ground earlier that day. Every time he had gone to question him, Oliver had appeared from nowhere. Kept asking Cormac how he was getting on in infiltrating the girls’ team and asking how many dates he had.

Adrian was getting to the point where he'd happily throttle his own best friend just to get him to shut up. He was a man possessed. Instead of throttling him, he had turned the tables on Oliver by telling Cormac to explain his successful date with Aoife O'Hare.

Oliver had turned a horrible shade of puce before finding an excuse to leave the conversation.

He and Cormac had fallen into fits of guffaws. He had forgotten to question Cormac after that and instead had said goodnight to the rest of the team before heading back into the gym to train some more. He hadn't seen Ginny in over a week, he wasn't used to not being around her and he was beginning to realise that he missed her. He was beginning to be of the opinion that as fun as sneaking around with her was, he actually wanted to be with her. Officially.

He heard another clatter and that broke him out of his thoughts about Ginny. He slowed the running machine down and stepped off. Quietly he moved through the corridors, wondering what on earth he was about to find.

He thought the locker room would have been draped in darkness, but instead the lights were all on.

"Hello?" He called out.

Suddenly there was a crash just to his left.

Turning round the corner he came across Oliver of all people.

"What on earth are you doing in here, its like ten o'clock!"

"I've been hit with what I assume to be Peruvian Darkness Powder."

"What?" Adrian asked confused, he moved to help his friend stand up, now he looked closer he could see the black marks on Oliver's face.

"I was walking in via the main entrance and suddenly I heard somebody coming towards me, I called out hello and next thing I knew I saw a blur and then something was thrown into my face and since then I've been stumbling trying to find my way here."

"Ok, that makes sense, well kind of, but why are you dressed from head to toe in black? And with that beanie hat on your head? You look like a thief from a bad Muggle film.”

"I... err, was taking care of something."

"What have you done?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about and seriously maybe whilst you question me, could you at least help me to a seat and get me some water? I need to wash my eyes. I'll bet you anything Weasley is knee deep in this."

"Sure, sure thing." Adrian helped Oliver to the bench and then went off in search of a bowl, a cloth and then some water.

This had to have something to do with the girls, he was sure of it. How could he question Ginny on what they were playing at when he was now sure Oliver had been and done something he shouldn't as well?

He just hoped no one was doing anything dangerous.

\----------

Hermione was sat across from Cormac in a quaint little Muggle restaurant not far from Diagon Alley. She had been surprised when he said he had booked a table here. She was further surprised by his words.

"I thought you might like the privacy of the Muggle world tonight? Saves this being splashed across the newspapers if I turn out be the tosser I used to be."

He had smiled at her speechless face before taking her hand discreetly and pulling her in the direction of The Leaky Cauldron. They had soon found themselves on the streets of Muggle London and Hermione couldn't remember a time in which she had found the city streets to be so picturesque. The sun was setting and her hand had felt protected by his larger one. He seemed content to not make awkward conversation and just walk with her.

In no time at all, he had been holding open the door to the little Italian restaurant he had chosen and an enthusiastic Italian waiter greeted them. He had greeted Cormac as if he was an old friend. 

"Have I rendered you speechless, Hermione? I don't think I've ever heard you so quiet?"

"You've surprised me, I never would have guessed you were so Muggle."

"I told you I'd changed, although to be fair I have never not known the Muggle world. My parents always brought me up to appreciate the Muggles we are surrounded by, after all there are a lot more of them than there are of us."

"What Muggle things did you use to do?" Her interest was piqued, someone who could relate to both parts of her heritage was pretty rare in the Wizarding world unless they were Muggle-born, and even most half-bloods grew up solely in the wizarding world.

"We visited museums, theme parks, theatres, and my favorite, the cinema. My parents wanted me to learn about Muggle history and culture. I'm an all rounder, Granger." He smirked.

"You're a surprise, that’s for sure," she laughed as the waiter came to their table to take their orders.

The conversation never stilted, the evening was perfect. Hermione realised she was truly enjoying herself and his company. He was being the perfect gentleman, but Hermione could see the heat and desire in his eyes every time he looked at her. It was a heady combination and she could see herself losing control all to easily if she wasn't careful.

He stood to use the toilet and she watched him leave the room. He was looking rather handsome tonight, she had noticed more than a few females glancing their way. He was wearing a burgundy shirt, unbuttoned casually at the top with a pair of smart dark grey jeans, the fit left nothing to the imagination she had to admit. His sandy blonde hair was styled to look as if he had just rolled out of bed and she wasn't afraid to admit she would love to run her fingers through it.

It turned out they had a lot in common and even though they had spoken a bit about Quidditch it turned out unlike Oliver, Cormac had a lot of other interests and whilst he obviously enjoyed the sport, there was still an element of it being his job and he did other things to relax. He had smirked at her as he had said it and squeezed her hand. She had shivered unsure as to when they had started holding hands again.

She looked down at the dress she was wearing. It had been just right, not too dressy for this restaurant and not too casual either. She had bought it a few months ago and since then, she had been waiting for the right time to wear it. It started out with a lacy black material that covered her neck and shoulders, before it merged into a white top and finished off in a black pencil skirt. It was a dress that teased the imagination she had been told by Ginny, she had thought it would be perfect for tonight. It seemed Cormac had agreed, looking her up and down hungrily when she had first appeared beside him. 

"So Hermione, would you like a nightcap?"

She blinked, not having realised Cormac had returned.

"I'm not sure what you do to me, Cormac, but my brain seems to forget how to function." She wasn't sure why she was admitting this to him, but it was the truth and she didn't want him to think of her as some mindless idiot who turned into a mess around him for any other reason.

"Believe it or not, Hermione, you do the same to me." He grabbed her hand again, his thumb automatically caressing her palm softly.

"I need to ask you something though."

His thumb on her skin and the little shocks it was sending through her body distracted her. "Ok."

"Ginny mentioned today that you had been seeing someone. Someone older. I guess I want to know where I stand if we were to take this any further."

"Oh, I, err..."

He continued, "I know you had a bad experience with Wood, but I need you to know I'm not him. I really like you and I want to take this further. I'll be honest with you if you will be with me, too."

Panic washed through her. She had been here before with Oliver, with Anthony, and believe it or not, Ron. The two of them had never dated, but somehow they had the 'shall we' conversation.

Oliver Wood had hurt her, hurt her more than he knew and more than she had let anyone else know. She had thought they were fine, but he had had other ideas. They were different, yes, but where she had found their differences endearing and what made them individuals he had felt the opposite. He hated the fact that she didn't share his love for Quidditch, despite the fact that she loved his passion, he wanted to come home, discuss every play and dissect every part of the match, which he couldn't do with her like he wanted to.

Eventually he decided that they were just too different and had made excuses before finally admitting that he just didn't want her. She knew he hadn't meant to hurt her and he was genuinely a good guy, but they were just two very different people and it just hadn't worked out.

She had just fallen too deep and believed that after the war they were all looking for a piece of security. Maybe Oliver had been that security she had desperately wanted. Harry had gone off to travel the world at that point, wanted to live like a free spirit, well a free spirit who was attached to the hip of Luna Lovegood, but she thought they were a sweet couple. Then there was Ron who was determined to date every twenty something female he could. They all dealt differently.

Anthony Goldstein had come next. She was determined to not let her experience with Oliver swear her off men, so she decided to date someone who she thought would be a more sensible match. It hadn't worked out; they both found the other a bit dull. They had lasted two months and she swore that was only out of politeness. It had been another disaster. 

Now, here she was sat with someone who she really liked, could she let herself go again? Give in to this temptation and hope she wouldn't get hurt again? She used to be brave. 

She wasn't anymore.

"I really enjoyed this evening, Cormac, but Ginny's right, I am seeing someone else and I think I need to leave now. I'm sorry, it wasn't fair on you, I shouldn't have agreed to this in the first place."

She made to stand up then realised her hand was still attached to Cormac's. "I think you're lying, Hermione. I think you're scared."

She pulled her hand away from his. "I... I don't know what you mean." She inwardly cursed herself for the stutter. 

"Who is he?" Cormac asked her, face serious.

She hadn't missed the flicker of a smile as she had stuttered. "You wouldn't know him."

"Convenient that."

"Look, I'm sorry for messing you around. I'd really like to be friends, you have changed, Cormac, and I think I could really lo...like you." She needed to get out of here. Grabbing her purse and standing, she turned to leave.

"I think I could love you too, Hermione." She turned at those words and looked into his honest eyes. She knew he meant it, but before she could change her mind, she turned and ran out of the door, Apparating straight home.

\-------------------

Ronald Weasley was walking across the pitch after their final training session before the following day’s big match when Cormac McLaggen of all people accosted him. 

"Weasley! Can I borrow you for a moment?"

"Sure, what do you want?"

"I wanted to ask you about Hermione."

"What about her?"

They walked over towards the locker room entrance and stopped. Cormac leaned up against the doorframe.

"Have you seen her recently?"

"Of course I have, I live with her."

"You do?"

"You didn't know that?"

"No, well I wanted to know how she’s been?"

"She’s been moping around the apartment all week, look I know she went on a date with you."

"She ran away at the end and both me and your sister believe she’s lying about dating someone else."

"Of course she’s lying."

"You know that for sure?"

"Hermione hasn't seen anyone since her desperately boring fling with Anthony. She’s had trouble getting back into dating since Oliver."

"Well I heard that it was a nasty ending."

"Not really, they were not particularly well suited. Hermione was using him as a crutch. To be honest since the war we all have something. Harry is exploring the world. I, well, put it this way, I have no intentions of settling down, and Hermione? Well Hermione's first bit of stability in her life was Oliver and that ended. It's thrown her, all over again."

"I, well, I didn't know that."

"Not many people do, it’s easier for everyone to believe that Oliver and Hermione had this big bitter bust up, but Oliver's a good guy and they still get on, they just weren't right for each other."

"You've become quite wise, Weasley. It still surprises me that you and Hermione never got together."

"We talked about it, but I think we both needed something different in our lives. Our friendship is sealed but a romantic relationship? We both deserved something more, somebody who could help heal the damage not just share the pain.

"Fight for her, Cormac, it’s the only way she'll be brave enough to try again. Show her you want her."

"Thanks, Weasley." Cormac held out his hand to the younger wizard.

"I'm not doing it for you, McLaggen, it's for Hermione." He shook his outstretched hand anyway.

"Ready for the charity match, Weasley?"

"Well what’s the chance I’ll get played, McLaggen? Slim to none right?"

"Well I'd say it depends on whether Wood tries to kill himself in order to beat your sister. Oh look, speak of the devil."

Ron turned round to see his sister sauntering towards them.

"What are you doing here?"

"None of your business."

Cormac laughed, "Here to see Pucey I bet!"

"Fraternising with a Slytherin, Ginny? I expected better of you!"

"Says the man who's slept with both Greengrass sisters and Pansy Parkinson, pot meet kettle!"

"Whatever, although you shouldn't be here, not in the enemy camp."

"I'm here because your Capitano here gave me Adrian's pass for the game tomorrow. Won't be too helpful if you can't play your best chaser if he can't get into the game!"

"I'll pass it on if you like?" Cormac offered with a smirk, knowing she wouldn't accept.

"It's ok, I wanted to ask him something else anyway, but thanks." She smiled sweetly until Ron looked away then gave Cormac the death stare.

"Suit yourself,” he turned to Ginny’s brother, “look thanks for the advice, Ron."

"No problem, see you tomorrow." Ginny and Cormac both watched Ron walk back into the locker rooms.

"Advice? From my brother, you that desperate?" Ginny asked him.

"When it comes to Hermione? Yes I am."

"She's been avoiding me since your date."

"You and me both, but don't you worry, I plan to change that tomorrow."

"Do I even want to know?"

"Probably not. I'll leave you to go find Adrian, he'll probably be in the gym, working off his sexual frustration."

"Whatever, McLaggen, see you tomorrow."

He walked back across the pitch towards the exit with a wave to Ginny as she disappeared the same way her brother had just moments before her.

\-------

Ginny hoped Ron wouldn't take too long to leave. She certainly didn't want him to catch her and Adrian, not with what she had planned anyway.

As luck would have it, just as she reached the locker room door, out walked Ron and two more players.

"Adrian is still in the showers, Gin."

"That's ok, I can wait. Thanks."

She watched them leave the building and then hurried into the locker room. With a flick of her wand she had locked and warded the doors.

She could hear the shower running from where she stood. She moved swiftly to his locker and popped the pass into his bag. She couldn't be so cruel as to deny him the chance to play, she wasn't sure he would forgive her. She could however be cruel in other ways.

She stripped off her clothes before walking naked into the showers. There he was.

He was tall and well built, his tanned skin showed off his lean body. She wondered if he had ever sunbathed naked, his taut arse was the same colour as the rest of him. No tan lines on him. The thought of him naked in the sun sent a little thrill through her.

His arms were resting against the shower wall, his head under the showerhead dousing him in water. She had never wanted him as much as she did now.

They had danced around each other for about a year before one day after a match they had gotten into a fight. The others had left straight after the match, but the two of them had remained behind yelling at each other. He blamed her for getting in his way and she blamed him for missing the catch she had thrown his way, which would have allowed them to win and get to the top of the league on goal difference alone.

She wasn't sure how it happened, but one moment they were yelling at each other, the next they had been kissing and kissing had turned into fucking. It had been exhilarating. The best sex of her life. After that they had found themselves unable to stay away from each other. The sneaking around had only added to the excitement of their situation.

This had been happening for seven months now. She knew she should open up to him and tell him she wanted more, but she was worried he wouldn't and she wasn't willing to give up what they had now if he didn't want more.

Shaking her head she brought herself back to the present before he turned and ruined what she had planned.

She stepped behind him, watching the water run down his smooth skin. Her hands reached out and wrapped around his torso, purposely brushing past his nipples as they did so.

She felt him stiffen as her naked body came up against his.

"Hello, Adrian."

She felt his body relax as he recognised her voice.

"What are you doing sneaking in here, lioness?"

"Looking for snakes," she whispered in his ear, her hands trailing down his body, claiming his erection in her hand. "So hard already and yet I've only just got here."

"I've been hard since you left me last time, I haven't seen you in this way in over two weeks. That's the longest time I haven't had you since we started this." He moaned as her hand rolled up and down his length.

"I've missed you, too."

He turned then, pulling her under the water and claiming her lips with his own. His hands trailed over her body, he knew exactly where to touch her. Biting her neck, his fingers found their way to her sweet spot. Within moments she was on the edge and with a flick of his thumb against her clit she was coming around his fingers.

She whined as he removed his fingers. Pushing her to her knees, he moved his hands to her hair and groaned when she engulfed him in her hot mouth.

"I've missed your little noises, Ginny, as well as other things."

She sucked him expertly; she knew how to make him lose control. He knew if he didn't stop her, he would come soon. He pulled her mouth off of him and helped her to her feet.

She pulled him to her and kissed him, she felt him lining her up to push up into her.

"Wait, I have something in my bag, it will make it more enjoyable, I promise." She pulled away from him nearly laughing at his confused face.

"What?"

"Wait here for me baby, I'll be right back."

He watched her walk quickly out of the shower, the bounce of her breasts teasing him. He ran his own hand over his cock, wanking himself as he waited. She had been gone too long he realised all too soon. She was just as insatiable as he was, she wouldn't waste time when she wanted an orgasm.

It suddenly dawned on him, that he had given her one.

"She wouldn't..."

He ran out of the shower, his cock jutting out in front of him. The locker room stood empty, all he saw was a note stuck to his locker.

Sorry baby, but this is a war. Good luck playing tomorrow with that hard on.

Love,

Ginny

xxxx

He was going to kill her. 

Well after he sorted his cock out.

\--------------

Ginny watched her lover storm out of the locker room and back to the showers. She felt as frustrated as he looked. Her plan was sure to work well, but was it going to backfire and affect her as well?

She smirked, she had least orgasmed by his fingers and not her own. Frustrated she might be, but she couldn't be half as bad as him right now.

It was time to scarper before he came out and caught her, she'd be in for it then.

She had made sure all the team had early nights so that’s what she planned to do. A shower, another orgasm, dinner, and then bed. In that order.

Tomorrow was game day after all.


	3. Chapter 3

The morning had been a blur, Hermione felt as if she'd only gotten out of bed ten minutes ago, it was now nearly half one! Balls were to be released at two o'clock, and soon the whole thing would be over. 

She was making her way to the Captain area when she felt him rather than heard him behind her.

"You've been avoiding me, dearest Hermione." His deep voice came from just behind her.

"I've been busy." She carried on walking down the corridor, not allowing herself to give in and face him. 

"You lied to me, too."

She stopped in her tracks. "What?"

"Weasley told me the truth, you haven't been seeing anyone, my love, you are just afraid to commit."

She turned now to face him. "I'm sorry... I..."

He closed in on her. "I don't want your apologies, Hermione." He paused and she thought that was it, she was about to turn away again when he spoke once more. "I just want you." 

Then his lips were on hers and there was fire between them. Her body melded into his as if it were a perfect fit. Before she was ready he was pulling away.

"You know where I stand now. If you want this and are brave enough, come and find me after the game, I promise if you do, you won’t regret it, ever."

With a squeeze to her hand, he left her standing there, catching her breath and wondering how she had ever lived without him.

\---------

Adrian was sat in the locker room, his head in his hands. Ever since Ginny had played him last night, he hadn't been able to focus on anything. He had showered three times, and yet her scent still lingered around him. His mind kept replaying their actions of not just last night, but of every time they had been together. 

He wanted her, and not just in the sexual way his body was craving, but in every way possible. 

He wanted to make her his. Forever. 

Adrian sighed.

Gods she messed him up. Eternal player and bachelor, he had always said. The idea of settling down had not appealed to him at all. Hell, he had even dated more than one bird at the same time!

Until now.

He realised suddenly that someone was waving a hand in front of his face.

"Earth to Adrian."

"Lo, Cormac," he acknowledged him.

"What’s up? Weasley cock block you?" He laughed. It soon stopped when he took note of the look on Adrian's face. "She didn't?"

Adrian didn't respond.

"Is that why she was so adamant to wait and see you herself last night?"

Again Adrian didn't respond.

"Dude, you need to get yourself together before this match, otherwise I'm sure Wood will cut it off for you, so you never have to worry about it again!"

That pulled the dark haired man out of his silence. "How's Hermione?"

"Ha! She's probably feeling a bit like you right now."

Adrian stood up to get changed. "What on earth do you mean?"

"I just kissed her and told her to stop being a coward and to come and find me when she realises what she wants."

"Arrogant twat you are."

Cormac laughed. "Well, let’s see if it works shall we?"

Adrian snorted before looking down towards his feet.

"Oh and Pucey, if I was you, I'd go and have a wank, but then again, I'm not sure that will help your game!"

Adrian swore and left the locker room to Cormac's laughter.

\---------

"So you're sure you got all of Wood's game plays sorted?" Ginny was pacing up and down in the empty locker room with Aoife.

"Most definitely, he changed all of ours, but I’d already made a copy before he was able to. He's so predictable!" She laughed. 

"Says the girl who went and did the exact same thing!" Ginny smirked at her friend.

"Yes, but I'm much smarter and placed some extendable ears in their locker room connected to a tape recorder I charmed to work with them. I know that the guys all came in and started learning the plays I changed theirs to. We now know their every move."

"Love it. This game is ours, Aoife!"

The girls laughed and that’s how Hermione found them a few moments later. Ginny looked up and saw her best friend’s stricken face.

She rushed over to Hermione's side as the older girl sat down, and Aoife quietly slipped out, leaving the close friends to talk. "Hermione, what’s happened?"

"I... well... Cormac."

Ginny grinned; realising Cormac may have finally got through to her best friend after all.

"Look, Hermione, you need to trust him. He wants to be your everything. Hell, when that boy is asking my brother for advice, you know he's desperate."

"I want to trust him, Ginny, I really do."

"Then go and get him."

Hermione stood quickly before Ginny pulled her back down.

"After the game, Hermione, we start in fifteen minutes. This is more important at the moment."

She watched as a funny look passed Hermione's face before she answered her. "Of course, sorry, let’s go win this thing."

"My thoughts exactly."

"By the way, you and Adrian?"

Ginny glanced at the now empty locker room.

"Have been seeing each other for seven months."

\-------------

Adrian stood amongst his team mates, his head only slighter clearer than it had been twenty minutes ago.

He could see Oliver's mouth moving and his fellow team members cheering whatever he was saying, but he couldn't focus.

His mind was firmly focused on the tiny box sat in his Quidditch robe pockets. 

"Oi Pucey!" The frustrated Scottish accent broke through his thoughts. "What the hell is wrong with ye?"

He realised his best friend was now stood right in front of him and Cormac was stood behind Wood, laughing silently.

"Come on! It's game time! The rest of the team has already entered the pitch. Where's your bloody brain at?"

"Sorry, I was focused on the plays, Oliver, just going over them one last time."

"Hmmm, that better be all it is, Ades. We can't lose this game, because I'd never live it down. Aoife O'Hare has been baiting me all week."

Adrian watched him wander towards the exit, Cormac smirking at him. "Block her out, Pucey, just for a few hours." He then followed Oliver onto the pitch.

Adrian was alone now. He started to walk slowly behind them, his hand shoved into his pocket, feeling the velvet box, he’d picked up from his Gringott’s vault earlier that morning, against his fingers.

Who would have thought that Ginny Weasley of all people would change his whole outlook on life by leaving him naked and wanting in the showers?

Block her out Cormac had said, but he had no idea of the power this witch wielded over him.

No, block her out he wouldn't do, but he would ask her to marry him. Yes, after the match.

\-----------

Oliver stood in the middle of the pitch, the cheers of the crowd were deafening. Whatever he told people, he sure missed the feeling of being a player, jumping on the broom and the rush of wind adding to the glorious noise the crowd made. There was nothing like it.

But Hermione hadn't been wrong when she had told him he quit Quidditch to protect his legacy. The way she had always been able to see through him had helped and sadly hindered their relationship. She hadn't been to blame, he was changing his own life and he hadn't handled the change very well. 

Quidditch after all was his life.

He kicked off from the ground alongside the rest of his squad and flew at breakneck speed to the goal posts. It was time.

The first twenty minutes of the match saw the girls forty points ahead of them. He couldn't understand what was happening. It was like the girls knew exactly where they were going to be. The result of the game was suddenly falling to his own shoulders to save as many goals as he could. O'Hare had already put three past him and Ginny a further two.

A quick timeout was called as Gwenog Jones received medical attention after a wayward Bludger smashed her shoulder.

Oliver flew down to meet Cormac on the pitch. 

"What on earth is going on, McLaggen?! It’s like they know all our plays!"

"I know! I'm not sure what’s happening, I thought you swapped theirs about?" He questioned Oliver, his voice lowering.

"I did!" 

"What did you change them to? Our plays?"

Oliver looked around frantically before stopping, his face hardening. Cormac followed his gaze and saw Aoife O'Hare staring at them across the pitch, smiling. It was a smile that blatantly feigned innocence.

"They did the same to us, Cormac! Buggering hell! That night that I was attacked, they must have switched our plays! You have the original hard copies right?"

"No, you had them!"

"Sweet Merlin, we're flying fucking blind! Find Pucey, I'm going to have a word with the not so innocent looking O'Hare."

"Don't get yourself sent off, Wood, we'd have to play with Weasley then, and then we really would be screwed."

Cormac turned and went off to find Adrian, leaving Wood to storm across the pitch.

"Oi, O'Hare."

She was in conversation with Ginny now. 

"You changed our plays."

"What?" She asked him turning to face him, as she did he couldn't help but notice her ethereal blue orbs.

"Y..you changed our plays, O'Hare, it was you who attacked me."

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Wood. Why on earth would we cheat to win, when we can beat you fair and square anyway?"

Oliver glared at her; she smiled serenely. It was infuriating. "I know you cheated, Aoife."

"How'd you know, Oliver? Is it because you cheated, too?"

She had moved closer to him and all he could think about was the fact that she was just like him. He saw the passion raging in her eyes. She wanted to win at any cost. Just like he did. How had he never noticed this about her before?

She played for his team for crying out loud! He was a moron. 

A look of understanding passed between them. He knew she had cheated, and she knew he had, but now that they knew, the playing field had levelled. 

A fight to the death it would seem.

The whistle blew and without another word they stalked away from each other.

He hurried back over to Cormac and Adrian, quickly shouting a few instructions on what they should do now.

Then he was back in front of the hoops in no time and this time, when he saw Aoife flying full pelt towards him he smiled at her. His smile caught her off guard, making her shot off target. It flew through the gap.

He felt the need to return the favour she had been paying him all week. "Need to try harder than that if you're gonna beat me, Aoife," he baited.

\----------

Hermione had briefly spoke to Ginny who had told her that their original plan had now been scuppered and that now Hermione of all people needed to think of a distraction, possibly one that involved Cormac. 

She snuck a glance over at him, he was only sat mere metres from her. She was having enough trouble concentrating with him sat so close without giving herself more problems.

The match had now drawn level, Oliver had saved every goal that Aoife had thrown his way and most of Ginny's. Only Angelina had a clean score record at the moment. 

This game was getting dirty, both teams had received penalties for a range of fouls including Blagging and Blurting and Ginny had had to receive medical attention again for a particularly nasty bout of Cobbing. Hermione was sure her nose had broken when Zacharias Smith's elbow had hit her. 

She saw Cormac's knee bobbing up and down with anxiety and she felt a rush of affection for him. The man who had taken her out for their date the other night was about as far away from the boy from school as he could possibly get.

His words from earlier were still playing around in her head.

Be brave he had said. After the game Ginny had said.

Fuck it; she needed him to know now.

She clambered over the bench to where he was sat.

Startled, he looked up at her. 

"Come with me a minute?"

"Now? But..." She bent down and brushed a soft kiss to his lips and stepped back. He stood up without another word and followed her out of the Captain's box and into the small room behind. 

"Hermione, I..."

"I want to be brave for you, Cormac. I want to be with you."

She felt his eyes searching her face, his hands grasping hers and pulling her into him. "You mean it?" He whispered, his lips so close to hers.

"With all my heart."

That was all he needed to hear from her and she wrapped his arms around him as his lips crashed down onto hers for a demanding kiss filled with want and promises for later.  
\---------

Out of the corner of his eye Oliver had seen Cormac follow Hermione out of the Captain’s box. What on earth was he playing at?

Couldn't he see that Flint had just been smashed in the head with a Bludger and needed to be substituted?

Until the captain called it, then that player would have to wait. They were now a man down as Flint did his best to avoid players and Bludgers, blood trailing in the air behind him.

"FUCK."

He knew McLaggen had been interested in Hermione and yet still he had entrusted him to focus. He should have known better or at least realised from his own past experience that Hermione Granger was a difficult woman to ignore.

O'Hare was coming straight for him, but she hadn't scored against him since their brief interlude earlier. He could see that it was driving her mental.

Ginny was flanking her on the left and he watched as the two witches hurtled towards him.

She feinted to the left and then he watched as the Quaffle left her hand aiming for the right hoop. He changed his direction and realised that he was going to be there in perfect time to save yet another of O'Hare's shots-on-goal when out of the corner of his eye he saw the flicker of the red dress Hermione had been wearing. In the split moment he lost his focus, the Quaffle sailed passed his outstretched hand and through the hoop.

The crowd roared, but he couldn't hear them, he was totally focused on the smiling faces of Cormac and Hermione.

Merlin he was so angry with them all. There was one thing Cormac had had to do, and that was to remain focused for one bloody match. 

In anger he flew over to Zacharias and snatched the club out of his hand, and zoomed towards the oncoming Bludger. His bones vibrated in his arm when he made contact with the Bludger. He smiled as the Bludger made its merry way towards Cormac in the Captain’s box.

In the distance, he heard the whistle blow and the shout of Bumphing was announced over the tannoy as the foul. 

Luckily for Cormac the Bludger’s trajectory changed at the last moment, but he had seen it coming, and the look on his face had sated Wood's anger.

The girls took their free penalty and this time Oliver saved it. He'd already let the last one through; they weren't having a second. The score was now 200-180 in favour of the girls; the gap was closing.

He roared some instructions to Zacharias to pass onto the chasers, and at last, Cormac substituted Thomas for Flint. 

They were back to full strength and in moments the boys had drawn the score level.

It was all-out war once again.

\--------

Hermione stared mouth open up at Wood who had just sent a Bludger towards her and Cormac. Cormac had immediately pushed her to one side his body bracing to take the impact, which luckily didn’t happened. 

"What on earth..."

"Wood is angry at me, I just lost game focus, although personally I enjoyed my distraction very much, Miss Granger."

Hermione smirked. "I will never understand the importance placed on a game."

"Well, we all like to win things, Hermione."

"N..No it’s the taking part that counts, Cormac,” she stumbled on her words as he turned his predatory gaze back to her.

"Well, I look forward to taking part with you, my love. I'm sure in our game we will both win. In fact I know we will. I'll teach you how to appreciate winning."

The metaphor wasn't lost on Hermione. "I'm not sure I can wait too long, Cormac."

"As soon as that snitch is caught, I'm coming for you."

She didn't miss the smile that enveloped his face when her small hand slipped into his. "I'll be waiting."

\------------

Adrian had managed to avoid thinking about Ginny for most of the match. Apart from when he had wanted to smash Smith's face in for breaking his girlfriend’s nose. She was a determined player and he knew she had sustained worse injuries over the years. 

He now had the Quaffle and was avoiding female chasers and Bludgers all over the place, he threw the Quaffle with as much force as he could and punched the air as it sailed through the hoop.

As his arm was coming back to rejoin his broom he felt an unimaginable pain in his back. He had taken a hit from a Bludger.

The hit had dislodged his stability on the broom and with the pounding pain in his back it was inevitable. He slipped. He hadn't realised that the little velvet box in his pocket had been shifting with all his movement and this last jerk meant it freely fell.

Like a man possessed, he managed to scrabble back onto his broom and ignored the pain, which was causing the edges of his vision to blacken. He couldn't lose that ring.

In hindsight, Adrian would look back on this moment and ask himself where, other than the ground, he thought this ring was going to disappear to, but in that moment he had to catch it.

As if he was a seeker who had seen the snitch he flew after the falling box and managed to catch it moments before it hit the floor.

The blackness that had been threatening his vision and the pain in his back came back tenfold, however, and the last thing he saw as he fell off his broom towards the ground was a streak of red.

Ginny.

\------------

Hermione watched with her face in her hands.

The commentator was going mental, describing the scenes before them.

"PUCEY SCORES!"

"AND TAKES A NASTY HIT IN THE BACK FROM A BLUDGER. MERLIN I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO FALL OFF THEN."

"BUT WAIT A MOMENT, WHAT’S THIS. PUCEY IS DIVING AS IF HE IS A SEEKER WHO HAS SEEN THE SNITCH. HAS HE?"

"WHAT WE ARE SEEING HERE IS INCREDIBLE. IF ADRIAN CATCHS THE SNITCH THEN THE GIRLS WILL WIN BY DEFAULT. I CAN'T BELIEVE HE WOULD THROW THE GAME LIKE THIS!"

"WOOD IS GOING MENTAL AT THE OTHER END OF THE PITCH. HIS STAR CHASER IS ABOUT TO LOSE THEM THE GAME."

"PUCEY CATCHES THE SNITCH. THE GIRLS WIN THIS SAMHAIN CHARITY MATCH. BUT WAIT, PUCEY ISN'T PULLING UP."

Hermione ignored the tanoy; her focus was intent on watching Ginny who was flying at a ridiculous speed towards the crumpled body of Adrian. 

"Come on, we need to get down there," Cormac shouted at her.

The pair of them Apparated straight to the pitch and arrived just as the Medi-witch on duty was waking up Adrian.

Before anyone could say anything, Ginny started shouting at him.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING ADRIAN? YOU COULD HAVE KILLED YOURSELF! YOU'RE NOT A BLOODY SEEKER! WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT? YOU ARE NOT SODDING HARRY POTTER TRYING OUT MOVES LIKE THAT!"

"Err, Miss, I need to get him to the medical tent. He's taken quite a hit to his spine, I need to fix him up quickly."

"N...no, I need to say something first," Adrian said ignoring the gaggle of people surrounding him. His focus solely on the tearstained face of the witch he was irrevocably in love with.

"Ginny..."

Gasps flew through the small crowd of people surrounding them as his hand opened to reveal not the snitch but the little black velvet box.

"Adrian, what are you doing?" Ginny asked quietly her eyes darting between him, the crowd and the little box in his outstretched hand.

"The last seven months that you have been in my life have changed me, forever. I can't imagine being with anyone else, you have become the first thing I think about when I wake, the last thing I think about before sleep and you even invade my dreams. I am totally head over heels in love with you. These last two weeks not seeing you, not holding you, have killed me and I don't ever want to be in that situation again. Ginny Weasley, I want to marry you. Will you be my wife?"

She watched as he struggled to open the box, his movement restricted by the pain. She reached over him and took the box from his hand; opening it she was left speechless by the beautiful ring he had chosen for her. A dainty silver band with a Gryffindor red ruby surrounded by tiny diamonds.

"Have I finally rendered your sarcastic mouth speechless, my dear?"

She didn't respond, her eyes finding his and his mouth turning up into a smile as a silent message was shared between them.

"Ginny, you need to answer the poor man," Hermione called out 

"Yes, Yes, Yes. I will marry you, Adrian, you crazy, crazy man."

Suddenly a roar rang out across the stadium, Ginny and Adrian both flushed bright red as they remembered that this little private moment between them had played just played out in front of an entire stadium of Quidditch fans in the middle of a match!

"AHH, A QUIDDITCH WEDDING! WELL, I'LL GIVE IT TO PUCEY HE CERTAINLY KNOWS HOW TO MAKE A PROPOSAL. LETS GIVE THE HAPPY COUPLE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, LADIES AND GENTS, AS PUCEY GOES OFF TO RECIEVE MEDICAL ATTENTION AND WEASLEY RETURNS TO THE SKY."

"OH LOOK, WOOD LOOKS LIKE HES READY TO HANG HIMSELF. THE GUYS ARE TEN POINTS UP THANKS TO PUCEY'S GOAL, BUT NOW THEY HAVE LOST THEIR BEST CHASER. IT'S UP TO POTTER NOW TO SECURE THE SNITCH AND FINISH THIS GAME FOR THE GUYS."

"THE WHISTLE BLOWS AND WE ARE BACK IN ACTION."

\-----------

Cormac looked around, he had no spare chasers to sub. He knew he had to help his team out. He turned to Hermione.

"Will my hip hold up if I fly today?"

She looked at him, her face already showing the disapproval she was obviously feeling.

"If you take a hit from a Bludger, Cormac, it might never repair. Even if you don't, you'll be back on crutches tonight and will extend your treatment by a couple of weeks."

"I have to do this, my team needs me, my love, and to be honest, I'm sure a few weeks extra of having you manhandle me, especially now, is not going to be a problem."

"Go, I'll have some stuff ready to treat you at the end of the match, but you need a beater to cover you, Cormac. I mean it."

He pulled his jumper and t-shirt off as he moved to go past her, smirking as he dipped in for a quick kiss. "Like what you see?"

"As long as it looks like that later, Cormac, then yes, yes, I do."

She watched him head back to the locker room, wishing she could follow him and watch him continue to undress. 

Samhain was quickly becoming Hermione's favourite holiday; the bonfire party tonight would see fireworks for sure.

Turning back to the match she wondered how long it might continue as Ginny threw another shot that Wood caught.

Moments later a blur of blond and blue shot past her, Cormac had entered the game.

\-------

"MCLAGGEN COMES ON AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PUCEY AND TAKES HOLD OF THE QUAFFLE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY."

"GOAL FOR MCLAGGEN!!"

Oliver punched the air, this was it. They could win from this point. Whist Cormac played Keeper he had also played position of Chaser back in his early days until the Keeper position had become available.

Now he just needed Potter to catch that damn snitch and end this.

Twenty minutes later and Oliver was losing his cool. Ginny was on fire, the euphoria of her engagement appeared to have spurred her on, and the men were now 40 points behind. With one beater covering and protecting Cormac it meant that they weren't blocking enough of the girls’ passes.

Suddenly, Oliver realised that both seekers were diving.

"NO!" He roared they couldn't win.

"KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM POTTER!" He yelled across the pitch, knowing that Harry couldn't hear him and even if he could he wouldn't do it. They had lost.

He watched as the female seeker's hand closed around the small golden ball and the stadium was filled with high-pitched cheers and screams.

He couldn't believe he had lost. 

He barely noticed one of the female players break off from the pack that was zooming around the stadium soaking in the cheers and head towards him. 

He watched as his teammates landed and couldn't miss the red flash as Hermione joined the guys on the floor. Making a beeline straight for Cormac. He watched as she threw her arms around him before pulling him away from the pitch.

"So you lost."

The voice took him by surprise and when he turned he was faced with the smirking face of Aoife.

"It would appear I did yes, thank you ever so much for coming over here to remind me."

"Well I enjoyed playing against you Oliver, but you know what the losers get, don't you?"

He glared at her, why was she tormenting him?

"Let me guess, nothing."

"Oh no, you get the consolation prize."

She moved closer to him and he watched her as she started to undo her robes. He was dumbfounded to realise that underneath her quidditch robes she had nothing on.

"Wha...." He couldn't speak.

"Close your mouth, Oliver, otherwise I'll throw a Quaffle through it."

She snickered as his mouth flew shut. She laced her robes back up and started to descend down towards the pitch.

He remained there not sure what to do next.

"Are you coming, Wood?" She called up to him and suddenly he was chasing her down to the ground.

\------

Cormac was following Hermione through the halls towards the little medical room. Her small hand was clasped in his, pulling him along.

He couldn't help but admire the view she was giving him of her pert little behind. It was turning him on. He knew she was speaking, but he wasn't taking in anything she was saying.

He stopped and pulled her back towards him.

"What are you doing?" She asked him as he edged them so her back was against the corridor wall and she lay entrapped between him and the wall.

"Winning." Was the only answer he gave her before his lips were on hers and it wasn't long before her small hands were tearing at the robes that shielded his skin from hers.

Soon her hands were moving across his bare chest and he could barely contain his need for her. 

"Hermione, what are you doing to me?" He breathed against her neck, biting lightly as he caught his breath.

She didn't answer with words but the moan she made as his hands bunched up her dress and scuffed against her thighs was all he needed. He hoisted her up and leaned into her and took ownership of her lips as her legs wrapped around his waist.

As her tongue battled with his and her small fingers tugged on his hair, his hands had found her knickers. With one quick tug he ripped the barely there material and now she was there moaning, writhing and open for him. 

"Oh sweet, sweet, Hermione, are you ready to win?"

His question was answered with a muffled cry as his fingers entered her.

\----------

Not knowing the result of the game was beginning to kill Adrian. The medics had told him to lay still, they had done the healing spells and he would be ok, but he had been ordered to rest for the rest of the evening.

Where was Hermione when he needed her, he was sure he could sweet talk her into letting him go and find Ginny. Merlin he had asked her to marry him and now he was bed bound, couldn't even go and find his future wife and hug her, kiss her, fuck her.

He chuckled to himself at the idea of asking the medics if he could just pop out for a quick shag... well, ok, nothing was ever quick with him and Ginny.

There was a knock at the door and the woman he had been thinking about pushed open the door and let herself in.

"Hey."

"Hey!"

"Don't you move, Pucey."

"Is that anyway to address your future husband?"

She moved so she was perched on the edge of his bed.

"You scared me out there, Adrian. I thought, well, I don't want to think about what I thought."

He moved his hand so it enclosed hers. 

"I know, I'm sorry, it was stupid, but I don't regret what I did."

"Me either, I love you, Adrian Pucey."

"Come here, kiss me, Miss Weasley."

"The medics have told me you have to rest."

"I think I can at least kiss my future wife without much harm, don't you?"

He watched as she stood up chuckling, taking out her wand she pointed it at the door.

"Oh I think we can do one better that."

\--------

Hermione had lost all sensible thought, she wasn't even sure right now if what she was feeling was real or a dream. She was lost to the feeling of Cormac. His skin against hers was red hot. She wasn't sure when he had replaced his fingers with his tongue, but she knew she had come into his mouth on more than one occasion. She wasn't sure how she was still supporting herself on her own legs.

With one final suck on her clit he moved himself so that he was stood up tall in front of her.

"I must look a right state,” she managed to mumble.

"You look totally fuckable, Hermione Granger, and I'm loving that it was me that did this to you."

"We could get caught, I'm surprised we haven't already, Cormac. We should take this somewhere else."

"And where would you take me, Hermione?" He smirked as he watched her straighten out her dress.

"Anywhere, Cormac."

"Anywhere?"

"And everywhere."

"Dirty girl."

"I like to surprise people you know."

"Good, because we aren't going anywhere... and I want you naked."

"C...Cormac?"

"Don't get all shy on me now sweetheart." He moved his hands under her dress once more placing them on her smooth backside and pulling her towards him in a way that left nothing to the imagination. 

She moaned underneath his touch and then her hands were at his belt buckle and she was undoing his zipper.

He chuckled softly before pulling at her dress again until it was over her head and she stood before him naked.

"No bra?" He asked with a guttural groan.

Her hands were on him now as his eyes took in her breathtaking body. Her fingertips traced the outline of his taut stomach muscles and continued down until the top of his trousers stopped her.

"I need you, I need you now, Hermione."

He wasted no time in pushing down his trousers, and couldn't help but smirk at the little gasp Hermione made when she saw his cock jutting proudly in front of her.

"I need you too, Cormac. Please..."

He wasted no more time, leaning down he took her lips with his own and lifted her into his arms. Hermione’s legs wrapped around his waist and as she did so, he pushed into her and found his heaven.

They were a perfect fit.

\----------

Adrian was in heaven or was it hell? He couldn't quite work out if this was bliss or torture. Ginny had sent a spell at him which had bound him to the bed so tightly that he could barely move and now he was at her mercy and wow what a mercy that had turned out to be. She had undressed in front of him and with a quick flick of her wand; he lay naked in front of her.

His cock was already standing to attention; she had such an effect on him.

His hands tugged at the ropes that bound him.

"You aren't supposed to be moving, Pucey." Her stern words had come from somewhere behind him. 

"You seriously think I'm going to just lay here and not partake?"

"That’s exactly what you are going to do, my love. Think of it as a reward for how badly I treated you last night!"

His world went black then as she covered his eyes with some sort of blindfold. 

"If you can't see then you're less likely to want to touch."

"I always want to touch, Weasley."

"And that is exactly why you are tied down."

Before he could retort with some more witty banter, the words were lost to a groan as he felt her warm mouth enclose around his throbbing cock.

\---------

Oliver was lost, lost to this beautiful witch whose mouth was doing wonderful things to his swollen cock. Sweet Merlin as soon as he had caught up to her and stumbled through his office door, she had shrugged off her robes and wasted no time in pulling his trousers open.

He now had to lean against the wall to support himself on his jelly legs. 

"Aoife,” he moaned her name before she removed her mouth with a pop.

She stood to face him, his eyes taking in her naked glory. "Come with me, you dirty witch."

He discarded his robes and lost his trousers before grabbing her hand and pulling him through a hidden door at the back of his office.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm gonna wash your dirty mouth out with soap," Oliver snickered. Taking in her expression as she took in the room before them.

"You're own private bathroom?"

"Oh yes and before you ask, no, no-one knows about it! We won't be disturbed."

She turned smiling at him and pushed him towards the large open shower cubicle. "Perfect!"

\---------

Hermione's cry was just about stifled by Cormac's hand. She was seconds away from internal combustion, she was sure of it and yet he somehow had the control to slow himself down every time she was about to peak. He was a delicious torment. 

Their bodies were coated in a sheen of sweat and yet his grip hadn't faltered once. Neither had his thrusts into her and coherent thought had long since left her. She had been turned into moans, groans, and cries of which he kept stifling with his hands.

"You're going to get us caught, gorgeous girl," he managed to mutter his teeth gritted. 

"Then stop teasing, Cormac. I want to let go, I want to let go with you."

She thought something was wrong then as he stopped all movement. But then he moved them away from the wall and Hermione felt the familiar squeeze of Apparition. 

"What?"

"I refuse to let the woman I am in love with come against a corridor wall, Hermione."

She took in her surroundings then, they were in a bedroom, his bedroom she guessed. Her eyes found his again and she focused back onto where they were joined as his throbbing cock reminded her there were more important things to be doing now than asking questions.

He lowered her then and her back fell into the soft covers of his bed and almost cried as he moved away from her and took his lovely cock with him. 

She scooted up the bed as he made to join her and with no more words he was kissing her again and she was filled once more by him and this time he didn't tease her and soon she was seeing stars as she exploded around him and this time when she screamed his name he didn't stifle it with his hand but instead joined her in a glorious roar as he emptied himself into her. 

Moments later he collapsed next to her and pulled her into his arms and they just lay there panting until sleep overtook them in their sated bliss.

\------------

Ginny stood admiring her fiancé’s physique, she knew from first hand experience how much training went into being physically fit enough to play Quidditch professionally and Adrian had a body to die for. A hint of pride filled her as she imagined all the witches who stared at his Witch Weekly photos and dreamed of having him. 

And here she was, with her hand around his cock doing exactly that. Having him.

She moved up so she was knelt on the bed beside him and she felt him stiffen as her skin grazed his.

“Sweet Circe, witch, you are tease.”

She giggled in response and he groaned again.

She moved so she could position him against her entrance.

"I want to taste you, witch, I want you to come on my face."

"But..."

"I don't think the Medi-witches said I couldn't use my mouth, now do it."

Ginny realised she had no argument to that, and for once in her life, she did as she was told and moved so she was hovering above his face.

"Sit!" He ordered and she obeyed.

His mouth immediately latched onto her clit and sooner than she expected she was at the height of orgasm. She felt it flood from her and she made to move.

"Again!" He demanded swallowing her essence.

She was so heightened with arousal, at the glistening of her juices on his face, and his aroused demands that again she obeyed without a word.

This time she was writhing within seconds, his tongue delving as deep into her as it could, as if she was ice cream he had been dying to taste. 

Moments later, she screamed her second release. This time he didn't say anything when she removed herself from her position.

She moved down so once again she was poised to sink onto him and this time he said the words she wanted him to.

"I love you, witch, now fucking sit on it."

They groaned in unison as she enveloped him into her hot heat. She couldn't go slowly and from his wild moaning she didn't think he wanted her to either. She rode his cock like she was dying, sending them both into a heated frenzy.

"Untie me, Ginny!" He cried out.

"No!" She panted.

"Then touch yourself and let me watch, I'm going to come so hard, but not before you do!"

She conceded and with wandless magic the blindfold disappeared and he moaned at the site of this beautiful woman covered in a sheen of sweat, riding him whilst fingering her clit.

"That's it, baby, come for me."

And she did, her clenching walls sending him over the edge and with a roar he filled her.

She came to lie next to him as they came down from their high. The spell she had been holding over him was released and he pulled her into his arms.

"I love you, Ginny, so much."

Before she could respond a loud knock interrupted their moment.

"Mr Pucey? Miss Weasley? Why is this door locked?! Hello."

They silently stilted their giggles and quickly tidied themselves up whilst the insistent Medi-witch continued to rattle the door. Before opening the door, Ginny sent a freshening spell around the small room.

"I love you, too!" Ginny whispered as she unlocked the door and proceeded to apologise to the medic for falling asleep.

All the time trying to keep a straight face. 

\------------

The water was cascading over the very naked, but conjoined bodies of Aoife and Oliver. He couldn't believe his luck. He was suddenly realising how much he had been looking at her over the last few months. Her lusciously perky breasts had caught his eye on more than one occasion, but his Quidditch-focused mind had blinded him almost to her fabulous assets and here they were now quite literally in his hands! 

"Don't think I haven't caught you looking at my tits before now, Wood!" Her breathless voice caught him off guard.

He thrusting stilled for a moment.

He looked torn. "I don't think I even knew what I wanted or what I was doing, Aoife!"

"I know you didn't, Oliver," she whispered in his ear as she shifted against him causing his cock to throb inside of her again.

"Keep still, witch. Otherwise it'll be over before it's begun," he grit out fighting the urge to let himself go. 

"Well, we'd just have to keep going until we get it right, Oliver. We’re alike you and I."

"I could stay here, like this with you, on the edge of ecstasy forever. I don't understand how I never saw it before."

"I don't want to sit on the edge, Oliver, I was to explode with you, I want to see it all, feel it all and do it all with you! Now please, please fuck me!"

His lips found hers and with a hard thrust he sent them both over the edge and they did indeed explode together. 

"I don't think I’ll ever get bored of watching your tits bounce like that, knowing it's me that's causing them to move in such a way."

Catching her breath she laughed. "Wood, you’re such a pervert.” She smirked. “Now, are you going to live up to your name? Where's your wood?!"

"I'll show you just how hard in can be!"

Laughing she kissed him and pulled him back under the warm water.

\------------

Hermione woke up encased in strong arms and sighed contentedly. 

"Hello, gorgeous."

She smiled up at Cormac. "Hello yourself, that was an impressive performance, Mr McLaggen."

"On or off the pitch?" He smirked.

"Oh definitely off, I think on the pitch you could do with some work."

The laughed together then.

"We should get up, that’s if you still want to attend the Samhain Bonfire and of course the presentation of the cup to your team!"

"I'd much rather stay in bed with you, but I'm pretty sure we'll have plenty of time after that."

"I'm not letting you out of my sight, Granger, so as long as you're ok with that I'm pretty sure we have all the time in the world."

"Sounds perfect." She leant over to kiss him and drank him in; when he pulled away she could see the desire in his eyes.

"We need to go now otherwise I'm not sure I’ll be able to stop myself."

Hermione laughed and pulled away from him, pushing the messy covers off of her, she stood and stretched.

"Ok... seriously? Are you not bored of torturing me yet?"

"Never!" She laughed, exiting the room in search of the shower.

Cormac flumped back onto the bed. "Second door on your left,” he called after the sexy witch.

\-----

Half an hour later they were ready to leave and he pulled her close so they could Apparate to the party.

Hand in hand they walked closer to the bonfire on the lookout for their friends.

"Hermione!" They turned and saw the red hair of Ginny's gleaming in the firelight.

The girls hugged each other and Ginny proudly showed off her ring to them both, babbling away.

"So where have you two been?"

"Where's Adrian?" Hermione and Cormac asked at the same time.

"He sat over by the fire, he’s been told to rest but you know what he’s like, he refused to stay at home so I've stuck him to the chair."

"What do you mean you've stuck him to it, Ginny?" Hermione asked her hand still firmly encased in Cormac's larger one.

"I mean I've literally used a sticking charm to make sure he doesn't move. He so stubborn. He'll be coming to see you first thing on Monday morning by the way!"

"Ginny, you are horrendous," Hermione said laughing at the thought of poor Adrian.

"I'll take that as a compliment." She smirked back at her friend.

"So what’s this?" Ginny asked pointing to their joined hands.

"It's exactly what it looks like, Gin," Cormac answered her. 

"Finally!"

They all laughed together.

"Come on, come and see Adrian, otherwise he'll be attempting to undo my good work."

They headed off closer to the bonfire and greeted all their friends.

\-----

A couple of hours later they were all sat waiting for the fireworks to begin. Hermione was snuggled into Cormac when suddenly Adrian asked where Oliver was.

"Oh they are busy," Cormac replied.

"What? And what do you mean ‘they’?" Ginny asked.

"When Hermione was getting ready earlier, I popped back to the changing rooms to make sure Oliver wasn't drowning himself in despair."

"He wasn't then?" Hermione asked.

"Oh well, he was in the shower all right, but he was very much not drowning alone, if you get me."

Adrian laughed loudly. "Let me guess, Aoife?"

"Yup!" Cormac grinned.

"Perfect match if you ask me," Ginny announced snuggling closer to Adrian.

The whistle of a released firework screeched through the air. Gasps of ooh's and ahh's erupted throughout the crowd as the bang of colour splashed across the sky.

"I think I have a new favorite holiday, Cormac."

"Oh yes? Wouldn't be Samhain would it by any chance, my love."

"Yes, yes it would be."

She turned to face him then and he pulled her close and let his lips brush against hers.

"I think I'm ready to go home and make our own fireworks, Granger."

"Me too."

Without so much of a goodbye they disappeared with a tiny pop.

Adrian turned to look. "We've been abandoned, Gin."

"Charming, she’s going to get an earful about that tomorrow I swear it."

"Or, he suggested his arm wrapping around his girlfriend’s waist, we could go home and have a repeat performance of this afternoon."

"Deal!" He grinned as she picked up their stuff and joined him, his arms wrapping around her as they also disappeared with a pop.

The space that moments before had been filled with friends and laughter was now empty and silent, but one year later, was once again filled with friends and laughter and wine and good food as three happy couples celebrated their weddings on the day of Samhain.


End file.
